It is technically impossible to have a like-for-like replacement for Jasprit Bumrah. His unique action makes it hard for the batters to gauge the nature of the delivery as both his arms are in the air for split seconds before releasing the ball. The right-arm pacer also developed a range of troublesome bouncers and yorkers to dominate in the death overs.
His recurring back injury has ruled him out of the T20 World Cup 2022 starting October 16 in Australia. And now, the selectors have a job on their hands to find a replacement for the champion speedster.
India has qualified for the Super 12 stage, and they can make changes to the squad without the approval of the International Cricket Council (ICC) till October 15. And Mohammed Shami stands the best chance to replace Bumrah for his skiddy deliveries that can be unplayable, besides the experience of playing 15 white-ball games in Australian conditions.
Shami over Siraj
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had sidelined Shami from the shortest format post the exit from the T20 World Cup in 2021. But the experienced campaigner picked up 20 wickets in the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year, and his effort helped the Gujarat Titans win their maiden title. However, that did not fast-track his return to the T20I setup.
Bumrah had also missed the Asia Cup due to a back injury, but that did not open doors for Shami. Young pacers Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan played along with the seasoned Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who leaked runs at the death.
Mohammed Siraj is yet to stamp his authority in T20Is, despite playing a lot of IPL. The speed gun from Hyderabad is in the scheme of things after being named Bumrah's replacement in the ongoing series against South Africa, but it will be a surprise if he makes the final XI over Shami and Deepak Chahar in the World Cup.
The Chahar factor
Renowned fast bowling coach T.A. Sekar feels Shami has the venom to lead the bowling attack. He also batted for Deepak Chahar, who has made a remarkable comeback after a long injury lay-off. "Bumrah not (being) available is a big blow. He is the No. 1 bowler in all formats. He puts pressure on the opponent, and has been the go-to man to break partnerships, and he is the best in the world at death overs, but India has enough resources.
"My two picks would be Chahar and Shami if you want to go for experience in Australia. Shami has played in Australia, and it remains to be seen if he is match-fit. I know he has recovered from COVID. Shami has not played of late, but he was in great rhythm when he played," he told Moneycontrol.
"Chahar has not played enough in Australia, but he is an excellent new-ball bowler. He is not renowned for death bowling but he is learning the tricks of the trade. India needs to choose one of these two as you don't have an apple-for-apple to find the right replacement for Bumrah," he said.
Sekar feels Siraj needs to improve his T20I bowling skills to fit the bill. "Siraj plays the IPL but goes for a lot of runs, maybe he needs to work on his bowling at the death. He is a fine Test match bowler. But Chahar or Shami can be effective with the new ball as well as up till the 18th over. Plus, Shami has the experience of playing the IPL for so many years," he added.
Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun, who has been the man behind the Men in Blue's rise as a top fast-bowling unit, also highlighted the importance of experience in a World Cup. "You will find it difficult to replace Bumrah; only somebody with experience who can bowl well in the middle overs will be a great addition. As of now, Bhuvi is the only experienced bowler in the lineup. I think Mohammed Shami can be in the squad as he has played in the 50-over World Cups and has bowled a lot in Australia," he said.
Shami will be at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru this week to seek clearance from the BCCI medical team. If he proves his fitness, he is likely to enter the main squad from the standby list.
As far as death overs are concerned, India will have to mitigate the risks by playing as a unit. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has been developing the habit of bowling the final over, and both Shami and Chahar have proven their skills in the format holding till the 18th or 19th over.
Shami had bowled six yorkers in an IPL game for the Punjab Kings against the Mumbai Indians two years ago to emerge hero in the Super Over. And Chahar's 6/7 against Bangladesh is a record figure in the T20Is.
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